The Sun 21/01/09 (by John Mitchell)
The principal of a school operating in temporary prefabs without proper heating or sanitation since 1996 has called for the Department of Education to be “shut down”. Seán O’Donáile of Gaelscoil Bharra in Cabra, Dublin, was reacting yesterday to the news that the State paid more than €100m in subsidies to private fee-paying secodary schools in 2008. He said “priority should be given to disadvantaged schools like ours, who have spent 13 years in prefabs.” New figures show that 99m was spent on salaries for almost 1,500 teachers in fee-paying schools, with €2.1m spent on capital works in 17 facilities. “The money is being mismanaged and it is a disgrace. I say shut the Department down”, says Mr O’Donaile.
Leave a comment